PPT 3 POST Structure of the Courts and Following a State Court Case Ch 4 95 to 111 341
Page 1: Introduction
Title: State and Federal Court Systems
Focus: Chapter 4 covering sections 4-3 through 4-4i.
Copyright Notice: Material is for course use only, prohibited for reproduction or other distribution.
Page 2: Structure of the Court Systems
The material is specific for enrolled members of the course only.
Emphasis on the structure of both Federal and State Court Systems.
Page 3: Jurisdiction Separation
Distinction between State and Federal Jurisdictions:
Each state maintains its own court system.
Federal government operates a separate court system.
Page 4: Basic Structure of Court Systems
Hierarchical Structure:
Highest Appellate Court (e.g., Supreme Court)
Intermediate Appellate Courts (e.g., Courts of Appeal)
Trial Level Courts (general and specialized jurisdictions; quasi-judicial roles)
Page 5: Court System Exhibit
Exhibit 4-2 presents a visual representation of Federal and State Court Systems:
Trial Level Courts: Below the green lines.
Appellate Level Courts: Above the green lines.
Page 6: Federal Court System Structure
Overview of Federal Court Hierarchy:
U.S. Supreme Court: Final court of appeal
U.S. Court of Appeals: Intermediate appellate courts
U.S. District Court: Primary trial courts
Page 7: Boundaries of Courts
Overview of U.S. Courts of Appeal and District Courts:
Map showing jurisdiction boundaries of federal courts, detailing states and corresponding courts.
Page 8: Federal Circuits Overview
Federal Circuits Structure:
Each circuit contains 1 or more Courts of Appeals and U.S. District Courts (appellate and trial levels).
Page 9: U.S. Courts of Appeal Details
U.S. Courts of Appeal make up 13 federal circuits:
11 Numbered Circuits (First Circuit, Second Circuit, etc.)
District Columbia Circuit: Handles certain cases like patents and international trade disputes.
U.S. District Courts: 94 judicial districts across the country.
Page 10: U.S. Supreme Court Justices Overview
List of Justices:
Chief Justice: John Roberts
Associate Justices include Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Sonia Sotomayor.
Page 11: Additional Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court
Completion of Justices' list:
Justice Samuel Anthony Alito
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Justice Elena Kagan
Justice Neil Gorsuch
Page 12: Variation in State Court Names
Explanation of Name Variations across State Courts:
Common names include Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Trial Courts (District, Circuit, etc.).
Page 13: Structure of Pennsylvania State Court System
Breakdown of the Pennsylvania Court Structure:
7 Justices in the Supreme Court.
Various Judges in different types of courts:
451 Judges across various courts including Municipal and District Courts.
Page 14: Class Discussion
Focus Areas:
A. Function of Trial Courts and Appellate Courts
B. Anatomy of a Lawsuit in State Courts.
Page 15: Role of Trial Courts
Key Functions of Trial Courts:
Review witness testimony and evidence presented by both parties.
Conduct examination and cross-examination.
Determine case facts and render verdicts.
Page 16: Role of Appellate Courts
Primary Function of Appellate Courts:
Review trial court proceedings for adherence to laws and procedural correctness.
Page 17: Anatomy of a State Court Case
PLAINTIFF: Initiates the lawsuit.
DEFENDANT: Responds to the lawsuit, may be an accused in criminal cases.
Page 18: Responses by Defendant
Options for Defendant's response:
File an ANSWER which may include a counterclaim.
File a MOTION TO DISMISS.
If no response, default judgment may occur.
Page 19: Plaintiff's Actions
Before trial, the Plaintiff carries out several actions:
Files a COMPLAINT.
Engages in Service of Process to serve Defendant with Complaint.
Goes through Discovery and Pretrial processes.
Page 20: Discovery Process
Elements of Discovery include:
Depositions, documents, interrogatories, admissions, e-evidence, and medical exams.
Page 21: Quick Reference Definitions
Basic Legal Terms:
Complaint: Sets jurisdiction and facts.
Service of Process/Summons: Notifies Defendant of lawsuit.
Page 22: Further Definitions
Additional legal definitions:
Answer: Defendant's response that may contain counterclaims.
Counterclaim: Defendant's claim against the Plaintiff.
Reply: Plaintiff's response to the counterclaim.
Page 23: Affirmative Defense Definition
Affirmative Defense: A defendant's argument accepting facts but denying liability based on additional information.
Page 24: Voir Dire Process
Voir Dire: The jury selection process involving questioning potential jurors.
Motion: Formal request to the court for specific actions.